LIVING WITH A ROBOT AT HOME: THE COMPLEXITY OF LIVING WITH ASSISTIVE ROBOTS LABRADOR AND DOUBLE IN EVERYDAY LIFE

Abstract The potential for assistive robots to support older adults’ independence and social connections requires careful consideration of their implications in everyday use. This study investigates the use of two assistive robots, Labrador and Double, in older adults, guided by Actor-Network Theory (ANT). Labrador (a delivery robot) assists with medication management, meals, laundry, house cleaning to support independence, while Double (a teleprence robot) enables virtual social visits. ANT offers a way to understand how the robots interact with different actors, such as older adults, family members, staff, and the environment in which they operate. We applied a qualitative approach to explore how users construct meanings, use, and make sense of the robots in their everyday contexts. Semi-structured interviews and ethnographic fieldwork were conducted with participants to generate data. Reflexive thematic analysis was performed, and three themes emerged: (1) the human-robot relationship, (2) the robot’s agency, and (3) ethical implications. The findings suggest that having the robots in everyday life is a process of constant negotiation with the people, practice, and the robot. The study highlights the challenges and opportunities associated with the implementation of robots to improve quality of life in senior care. While there is a fear that assistive robots will dehumanize caring practices, our study shows that they have the potential to foster innovative user-technology relationships, which requires further research.

Some newer HIV antiretroviral therapy regimens have been associated with weight gain in populations at risk for obesity.This study examined perspectives on weight change and body image among people living with HIV and the extent to which age and gender have an impact on those attitudes.We conducted interviews with 61 individuals in a Medicaid managed care plan.The age range was 23 to 65 years; 49% were aged 50 or older.The sample was 56% non-Hispanic Black and 31% Hispanic.About half were cisgender men, 36% were cisgender women, and 13% were transgender/ nonbinary individuals.Many participants had weight gain they associated with HIV medications.While experiences varied widely, we found that older and younger participants offered some different perspectives.Younger people, including transgender individuals, more often welcomed weight gain, associating it with better health.Participants aged 50 and older sometimes saw weight gain as a natural part of aging, and spoke of acceptance, whereas younger participants tended to focus on their appearance.Among those with unwanted weight gain, older participants expressed concerns about its negative effect on mobility and comorbid health conditions.Some older women in particular struggled with improving their diets.Healthcare providers should consider these different perspectives and the various challenges individuals face associated with age when advising patients with HIV about weight management.For providers working with older patients with HIV, specific considerations of how increased weight affects mobility and risk for comorbid conditions are warranted.

TECHNOLOGY, DRIVING, AND AGING IN PLACE
Abstract citation ID: igad104.1351

AGING-IN-PLACE TECHNOLOGY: PROGRAMMING TO ADDRESS SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH
Keith Morgen 1 , and Peter Jacob 2 , 1. Centenary University,Hackettstown,New Jersey,United States,2. Jewish Family Service of Central New Jersey,Elizabeth,New Jersey,United States According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the drastic increase of older adult social isolation from the pandemic has contributed to premature death, dementia, anxiety, and suicide.Jewish Family Service of Central New Jersey (JFSCNJ) clients corroborated this phenomenon with 65% meeting the diagnostic criteria for moderate to severe older adult depression or anxiety in 2020.In 2022, JFSCNJ established the Fig Tree Virtual Senior Center, a dynamic program that focused on older adults as they readjust to a post-pandemic world.By addressing social isolation through a Person-Centered Trauma Informed and biopsychosocial approaches, various wellness programs were provided in-home via the use of virtual video programming.Sixteen older adults (age range 68-95 yearsold) were assessed on anxiety and depressive symptoms and social connectedness both prior to and six months following the start of the video programming intervention.Paired samples t-testing found a significant reduction in self-reported anxiety (p=.01) and depressive (p=.05) symptoms after video programming engagement at six-months follow-up.Path analysis using bootstrapping with bias corrected confidence intervals found amount of video programming with a positive and significant indirect effect on both increased social connectedness and improved well-being.Implications for homebound older adult social engagement and well-being programming will be discussed.
Abstract citation ID: igad104.1352Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) are in-vehicle technologies that promise to improve driver safety and may help support older drivers to drive safer for longer, however there is little research examining acceptance and use of ADAS among older adults.This study investigated age and gender differences in attitudes to ADAS and use of ADAS.We conducted an online survey of 1330 drivers aged 65 years or older (M=72, SD=6.9, 23% women) in partnership with National Seniors Australia.ADAS use was self-reported, classifying respondents in to users (96%) and non-users (4%).ADAS acceptance was measured by the Partial Automation Acceptance Scale.Linear regression estimated gender and age differences in acceptance.Logistic regression estimated differences in ADAS use by gender, age and acceptance.Older age was associated with higher levels of trust in ADAS (β = 0.032, p = 0.04) and lower perceived ease of use (β = -0.02,p = 0.02).Women were less likely to report ADAS use (β = -0.99,p = 0.008) but had higher levels of trust (β = 0.86, p = 0.001) than men.After adjusting for age and gender, positive attitudes towards ADAS (β = 0.12, p = 0.003) and lower perceived risk (β = 0.22, p = 0.046) were associated with higher levels of ADAS use.Consideration of the gender and age differences may inform future vehicle design, and older drivers may benefit from education on the risks and benefits of ADAS to aid in the acceptance and consequent use of ADAS.

GENDER AND AGE DIFFERENCES IN ACCEPTANCE OF ADVANCED DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS: INSIGHTS FROM OLDER AUSTRALIANS
States, 4. University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada The potential for assistive robots to support older adults' independence and social connections requires careful consideration of their implications in everyday use.This study investigates the use of two assistive robots, Labrador and Double, in older adults, guided by Actor-Network Theory (ANT).Labrador (a delivery robot) assists with medication management, meals, laundry, house cleaning to support independence, while Double (a teleprence robot) enables virtual social visits.ANT offers a way to understand how the robots interact with different actors, such as older adults, family members, staff, and the environment in which they operate.We applied a qualitative approach to explore how users construct meanings, use, and make sense of the robots in their everyday contexts.Semi-structured interviews and ethnographic fieldwork were conducted with participants to generate data.Reflexive thematic analysis was performed, and three themes emerged: (1) the human-robot relationship, (2) the robot's agency, and (3) ethical implications.The findings suggest that having the robots in everyday life is a process of constant negotiation with the people, practice, and the robot.The study highlights the challenges and opportunities associated with the implementation of robots to improve quality of life in senior care.While there is a fear that assistive robots will dehumanize caring practices, our study shows that they have the potential to foster innovative user-technology relationships, which requires further research.
Abstract citation ID: igad104.1354Driving retirement can be a disruptive decision for people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD) and their families.Retiring drivers with AD/ADRD may lose their sense of independence and connection to community.Family members can experience relationship stress convincing persons with dementia to stop driving and feel strained taking on transportation responsibilities.CarFreeMe™-Dementia (CFM™-D) is an individualized psychosocial driving retirement program for families who are planning for, implementing, or adjusting to driving retirement.A small feasibility study of the program in the U.S. indicated that participants found it acceptable and useful for navigating driving retirement.Phase 2 of this study, enrolling 17 care partners, 16 retiring drivers, and 17 dyads, evaluated the preliminary efficacy of CFM™-D to provide emotional support and increase driving retirement readiness.Data from baseline, 3-, and 6-month surveys and an exit semistructured interview were collected.Interviews confirmed that CFM™-D provided emotional support and practical preparation for driving retirement.Chi-square analyses comparing baseline to 6-month follow-up data showed fewer caregivers reached thresholds for concern on scales of strain (p = .019)and isolation (p = .001).Retiring drivers reported reductions in loneliness at 6-months (p = .017)and improved Assessment of Readiness for Mobility Transition scores at 3-and 6-month follow-ups (p = .003,p = .014,respectively).Findings have informed intervention delivery improvements for a future randomized trial evaluating whether CFM™-D is an efficacious tool for addressing the psychosocial complexities of driving retirement amongst people with AD/ ADRD and their family.

PRELIMINARY EFFICACY OF CARFREEME™-DEMENTIA: A DRIVING RETIREMENT PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES IN THE US
Abstract citation ID: igad104.1355

SERIAL TRICHOTOMIZATION TO IDENTIFY UNSAFE DRIVERS: UPDATE FROM A PROSPECTIVE STUDY
Michel Bedard 1 , Sacha Dubois 2 , Hillary Maxwell 2 , Stephanie Schurr 3 , Bruce Weaver 1 , and Arne Stinchcombe 4 , 1. Lakehead University,Thunder Bay,Ontario,Canada,2. St. Joseph's Care Group,Thunder Bay,Ontario,Canada,3. St. Joseph's Care Group,Thunder Bay,Ontario,Canada,4. University of Ottawa,Ottawa,Ontario,Canada Identifying older adults who may be unsafe to drive remains a difficult task.Gibbons et al. (2017, American Journal of Occupational Therapy) used serial trichotomization based on five cognitive tests to determine if drivers should: 1) continue driving, 2) undergo further evaluation, or 3) stop driving.The tests included the Trail-making-tests A and B (TMT-A/B), the clock-drawing test (CDT), the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test (MVPT), and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).Gibbons et al. relied on dual cut-off values to achieve 100% sensitivity and specificity (within their sample) to reduce false positives and false negatives that arise from using these tests in stand-alone fashion.We used the Gibbons et al. cut-off values prospectively on a cohort of 293 drivers (mean age = 66, SD = 14) referred for driving evaluations at a chronic care and rehabilitation hospital.Each driver completed the five tests.Trained occupational therapists (OTs) provided a recommendation to continue driving, undergo further evaluation, or stop driving.We examined congruence between the tests and the OTs recommendations.Weighted Kappas ranged from a low of .03(95% CI = -.01 to .08) for the CDT, to a high of .53(95% CI = .45to .61) for the TMT-B.Using the same cut-offs, and serial trichotomization, the congruence with the final recommendations was moderate (k = .57,95% CI = .49to .66).These results remind us of the variability inherent in standalone cognitive tests and even within a serial trichotomization framework.

SESSION 3575 (AWARD LECTURE)
Chair: Steven Austad The Irving S. Wright Award of Distinction Lecture will feature an address by the 2023 recipient Rafael De Cabo, BS, FGSA of National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health.The Vincent Cristofalo Rising Star Award in Aging Research lecture will feature an address by the 2023 Abigail Hansen 1 , Kim Kiely 1 , Tuki Attuquayefio 2 , Diane Hosking 3 , Michael Regan 4 , Ranmalee Eramudugolla 1 , Lesley Ross 5 , and Kaarin Anstey 1 , 1. University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 2.